The translation on this web page was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).
(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)
(gods in blue)
The Eclectic Chronicle (ABC 24) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Babylonia. It deals with events between 1080 and 822 that were important from a Babylonian point of view, but the exact purpose of this text is unclear. Some lines are duplicates of the Walker Chronicle.
The text of this chronicle is inscribed on a tablet, BM 27859 (98-7-11, 124), the top of which is missing. There is also a large piece missing from the lower left-hand corner. The preserved portion, about two thirds of the text, measures 45 mm wide and 60 mm long.
Translation of obverse
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Lacuna |
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1′ […] |
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2′ […] |
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3′ he carried off a great booty. |
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4′ Marduk-šapik-zeri [1], the son of Marduk-nadin-ahhe, rebuilt the wall of Babylon. He conquered the |
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5′ kings of the lands. During his reign, the people of the land enjoyed prosperity. |
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6′ He made an entente cordiale with Aššur-bêl-kala, king of Assyria.[2] |
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7′ At that time, the king went from Assyria to Sippar. |
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8′ Adad-apla-iddina,[3] descendant of Itti-Marduk-balatu, the Arameans and an usurper king rebelled against him |
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9′ and desecrated all the sanctuaries centers of the land. Der, Dur-Anki (Nippur). |
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10′ Sippar, Parsa (Dur-Kurigalzu) they demolished. The Suteans attacked and the booty of Sumer and Akkad |
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11′ they took home. He made frequent visits to the shrines of Marduk and appeased his heart. He totally restored his cult |
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12′ Simbar-šihu, son of Eriba-Sin, knight of the Sealand, |
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13′ made the throne of Enlil at Ekur-igigal. |
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14′ In the month of Nisannu of the fifth year of Eulmaš-šakin-šumi, the king.[4] |
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15′ The fourteenth year [5] |
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16′ The fourth year of Mar-biti-apla-usur [6] |
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17′ The first year of Nabû-mukin-apli, the king [7] |
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18′ The Nth year |
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Edge |
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Translation of reverse
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1′ The Nth year of Mar-biti-ahhe-iddina [8] |
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2′ Adad-nirari was the king of Assyria at the time of Šamaš-mudammiq.[9] |
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3′ At the time of Nabû-šuma-ukin, Tukulti-Ninurta was the king of Assyria.[10] |
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4′ At the time of Nabû-apla-iddina, son of Nabû-šuma-ukin, Aššur-nasir-apli was the king of Assyria.[11] |
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5′ At the time of Marduk-zakir-šumi, son of Nabû-apla-iddina, and |
6′ Marduk-bêl-usate, Šalmaneser was the king of Assyria.[12] |
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7′ At the time of Marduk-balassu-iqbi and Marduk-zakir-šumi |
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8′ For N years there was no king in the land.[13] |
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9′ Eriba-Marduk, descendant of Marduk-šakin-šumi, |
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10′ took the hand of Bêl (Marduk) and the son of Bêl (Nabû) in his second year. |
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11′ The Aramaeans who had taken by murder and insurrection the fields of the inhabitants of Babylon and Borsippa, |
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12′ Eriba-Marduk slew by the sword, and he brought about their defeat. |
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13′ He took the fields and orchards away from the and gave them to the [Arameans?] and Borsippeans. |
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14′ In that same year, he set of the throne of Bêl in Esagila (Marduk’s temple – residence in Babylon) and Ezida (Nabu’s temple – residence in Borsippa) […] |
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15′ […] Eriba-Marduk […] to Babylon. |
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16′ […] Eriba-Marduk went out from […] |
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17′ […] Nabû-Nasir.[14] |
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18′ […] |
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19′ […] Tiglath-pileser III, king of Assyria, ascended the throne.[15] |
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20′ Šalmaneser, king of Assyria, ascended the throne.”[16] |
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Note 1:
King of Babylonia between 1081 and 1069.
Note 3:
Adad-apla-iddina was king of Babylonia from 1068 to 1047; Itti-Marduk-balatu from 1139 to 1132. The section is identical to several lines from the Walker Chronicle.
Note 4:
This king ruled from 1004 to 988; his fifth year is 1000 BCE.
Note 5:
In this period, only Eulmaš-šakin-šumi had more than thirteen regnal years, so his fourteenth year, 991 BCE) can be meant.
Note 6:
Mar-biti-apla-usur was king of Babylonia from 984 to 979; his fourth year is 981.
Note 7:
This king ruled from 978 to 943.
Note 8:
Became king of Babylonia in 942.
Note 9:
Adad-nirari II ruled from 911 to 891.
Note 10:
Tukulti-Ninurta II was king of Assyria in 890-884.
Note 11:
Aššur-nasir-apli II of Assyria reigned from 883 to 859.
Note 12:
Šalmaneser III of Assyria was king from 858 to 824. His contemporaries can not be dated more accurately.
Note 13:
In fact, an Assyrian king must have ruled over the country The events mentioned in the next section can not be dated exactly.
Note 14:
King of Babylonia, 747-734.
Note 15:
The first full regnal year of Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria is 744; he must have ascended in 745.
Note 16:
The first full regnal year of Šalmaneser V of Assyria is 726; he must have ascended in 727.